[003] stalker

                                   Even though Alice had felt pretty guilty about how things had gone down at lunch, Alice doubted she'd ever have to see Roman again.

                                    Obviously, they went to the same school together and Andrew was friends with him for reasons Alice simply couldn't understand. But she doubted they'd ever get the chance to be alone again. So really, Alice felt as though there was nothing she should feel guilty for. But did it make her stop thinking about him? Not really. Alice wasn't sure what it was but seeing that whole sad puppy look on his face was still stuck in her mind. Maybe she couldn't stop thinking about him because he was kind of cute too. Regardless of the reasoning, Alice knew that she had to stop thinking about Roman because there was nothing else that could come out of it.

                                    She was with Andrew, for one thing. But when did that really stop Alice from sleeping around? Let's face it. Alice had a phobia of commitment and she had an affinity for self sabotage. If any guy paid her the right amount of attention, she'd go off with them just to feel something. It was a fucked up game the rich girl played, and it was one she didn't think she'd ever stop playing.

                                     That's why Alice was off to one of her favorite bars, wearing a short dress that showed off what little curves she had. She was already insanely skinny, but Alice felt as though it wasn't good enough. Her mother's constant comments about her weight proved that already. That was part of the reason why she wore the expensive silky dress that left little to the imagination, hoping for some sort of validation. She was also looking to have a little fun on her own. Maybe flirt with an older guy or two. Alice knew she had to be careful, since her every movie was being watched by paps obsessed with her family as well as their magazine. But taking risks and pushing the limit was exactly what Alice craved. You'd think a girl born with everything she wanted would be satisfied with her life. But Alice felt so empty, and all Alice really wanted was just to fucking feel something. Even if it meant doing something wrong.

                                     That had led her to do stupid, dangerous things. Iris always said she'd get herself killed one day. And maybe she would.

                                     Lost in her thoughts, Alice was completely unaware that someone was watching her. That is, until she hears a drink slide in front of her. Alice blinks, glancing down to see an unfamiliar drink before her. The girl immediately furrows her brows in confusion and glances up at the bartender who had slid her the drink in the very first place.

                                     "Um, excuse me, I didn't order this," Alice shakes her head.

                                     "I know. The gentleman over there ordered it for you," the bartender explains, pointing over to the side.

                                     Alice follows his gaze, shocked to find that she immediately recognized the face. It was none other than Roman Roy sitting in his own private booth, a wide grin on his face as he waved at her. Alice narrows her eyes at him before she grabs the drink, turning back around to face the bartender. "Ah, I see. Thank you."

                                     "No problem," the bartender nods before going off to the next patron, leaving Alice alone.

                                    She immediately gets up, walking over to the booth Roman sat in. She slides right next to him but before he could say anything, she immediately grabbed the collar of his shirt as tightly as she could and pulled him towards her.

                                    "Are you stalking me?" Alice interrogated.

                                    "Why? Are you worried someone from school might see us?" Roman questioned, his words stinging her skin like venom.

                                    Alice falters for a moment, realizing that Roman was still pissed about that. She lets go of his collar, making him pout in response.

                                   "Aw, why'd you stop? That was actually kind of hot," Roman frowned, sounding very disappointed that Alice didn't continue trying to scare him.

                                   "Shut up. If you're still gonna be pissy at me for what happened during lunch, I suggest you leave this bar now because I'm really not in the mood for it," Alice scoffs.

                                   "Or what? You're gonna punish me?" Roman asks, a spark in his eyes that let Alice know he wasn't messing with her.

                                   "I bet you'd probably like that, you fucking weirdo," Alice rolls her eyes. "What the fuck are you doing here anyway? I've never seen you at this bar before."

                                   "I heard about it from Andrew. I thought I'd give it a visit. Are you dressing up for him tonight or did I just get really fucking lucky?" Roman replies, giving Alice a once-over.

                                   "Oh, you wish," Alice responds. "Whatever you do, don't tell Andrew I was here."

                                   "Why?" Roman questioned.

                                   "If you want your dick still attached to your body, you'll listen to me and not tell Andrew that I was here," Alice threatened him.

                                  Although their relationship was one hundred fake, Alice knew that Andrew liked her. And she didn't need him to find out what she was doing. If he did, her parents would follow and she didn't need to add to the list of disappointments.

                                   "You're seriously turning me on," Roman admits, looking as though he might fall in love with Alice right there on the spot.

                                   "Can you not be you for, like, five minutes?" Alice frowns.

                                   Roman tilts his head to the side, pretending to ponder Alice's offer before shaking his head. "Nope."

                                   Alice huffs before preparing to get up, deciding that she wasn't going to waste any time on Roman Roy and his bullshit anymore. But then, Roman grabs her arm and that makes Alice pause. She turns around to look at him, seeing a brief look of sincerity on his face before it's masked with another pout.

                                  "Look, I'm really bored and you're the only fun person here. I promise that I won't be annoying, and I'll even forgive you for being a total bitch to me. Just... don't leave," Roman pleaded.

                                  Alice rolls her eyes again. "Fine. I won't leave."

                                  "And... I won't tell Andrew about you being here. You're not cheating on him, are you?" Roman asked next.

                                  "I think you already know the answer to that question," Alice shrugs before taking a large sip from her drink. It was a lot better than Alice had been expecting but she'll keep a face of indifference anyway. "What are you doing here?"

                                  "I was bored and I didn't want to go home. It's not like I'd be terribly missed anyway," Roman admits, simple as that.

                                  Alice could relate to that one. There were times Alice would do everything she could not to go home. And that meant hanging out with the wrong people, going off with boys and even men just so she'd wake up someplace other than home and pretend that she had a life much different than the one she had. But Alice couldn't run forever and at some point, she had to wake up.

                                  "It's probably too late to ask this but you didn't roofie me, did you?" Alice replies, glancing down at her half-empty drink.

                                  "What? No! I'm perfectly capable of fucking without drugging a girl," Roman argues.

                                   "Sure," Alice chuckles before finishing her drink.

                                   "I am! Look at me. I'm like a young Han Solo that everyone wants to sleep with," Roman insisted, motioning with his hand up and down his body.

                                    "God, you sound like such a virgin," Alice teased.

                                    Roman huffs. "Whatever."

                                   Alice then chuckles as she turns to look at Roman, watching him drink a glass of whiskey like a sad little child. She rests her hand on his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "Hey, it's totally fine if you're a virgin. And I'm sure you'll find a girl weird enough to want to fuck you someday."

                                  "Gee, that makes me feel so much better," Roman deadpans.

                                  "You're kinda cute too. But you'd be so much hotter if you just changed your hair," Alice suggested.

                                  "My hair? What's wrong with my hair?" Roman frowns, brows drawn together in an actually adorable way.

                                   Alice leans forward, messing Roman's neat hair just a little. She was so close that Roman could even smell her sweet (and undoubtedly very expensive) perfume. It leaves him a little dizzy by the time Alice finally pulls away, satisfied with the final product. "There you go. Now you look like Han Solo, a shorter version."

                                 "You know, I can't tell if you're insulting me or complimenting me," Roman shakes his head.

                                 "That's for me to know and for you to find out," Alice joked.

                                 "Does this mean we're friends now?" Roman then asked.

                                 "Friends? What makes you think that? We've only had a semi-normal conversation for, like, five minutes," Alice scoffed.

                                 "Because you're a lot happier hanging out with me than you are with your so called friends. I see you with them. You look like you wanna kill yourself," Roman noted.

                                 "Oh my God, you're definitely stalking me at this point. You're a certified stalker," Alice replied.

                                 How was it that Roman was able to spy on her and notice all of that, but she had yet to see him? Maybe his height (or lack thereof) helped him to hide and that's how Alice wasn't able to see them. But now that Alice was made aware of it, that was obviously going to change.

                                 "Just tell me if I'm wrong," Roman challenged her.

                                Alice frowns. "I don't have to tell you shit."

                                "If you want Andrew to keep thinking you're madly in love with him, you kinda have to," Roman shakes his head.

                                "You said you wouldn't tell," Alice frowned.

                                "Wellllll, I've changed my mind. I want you to do a teeny, weeny small favor for me," Roman stated.

                                Alice's eyes instantly narrow again, quickly growing suspicious of this tiny favor of his. "I'm not going anywhere near your pencil sized dick."

                               "Interesting where your mind went," Roman replied. "But no, there's nothing sexual involved. Unless you wanted it to be."

                                "Just get to the damn point," Alice persisted.

                                "You have to be friends with me," Roman remarked.

                                Alice laughs. "You're blackmailing me into being your best friend? That's desperate."

                               "I could easily call Andrew right now and -," Roman began to say.

                               "Fuck, whatever. Fine! Fine, I'll be friends with you but we are not going to be friends publicly. We have to keep things like this," Alice quickly cut him off.

                                As annoying as Roman was, Alice had to keep her secrets. So if that meant being friends with Roman behind closed doors and provide the loser some company, Alice knew she'd have to do that. Her parents would murder her if they found out she was friends with Roman after they specifically ordered her not to. But what they didn't know certainly wouldn't kill them.

                               Roman shrugs. "I can work with that."

                                He could be a stubborn shit when he was ready but he wasn't going to be impossible. He knew that Alice's reputation would definitely be ruined for hanging out with a freak like him. So Roman was really just taking whatever he could get. Even though Alice Kim was probably the biggest bitch in their school, Roman wanted to get to know her a lot better.

                              Maybe they'd turn out to be best friends by the end of it.

                              "Now you have to answer my question," Roman reminds her.

                              "Not yet," Alice shakes her head. "I hardly know you enough to figure out if I like hanging out with you more than the friends I've had for years. Give it some time and then I'll give you an answer. In the mean time, you can get me some more of whatever this is."

                               "As you wish, my fair lady," Roman replies, raising his hand to get the nearest bartender's attention. He also tries to sneak an arm around Alice's shoulders, although she's quick to shrug him off of her.

                               Alice bites back a smile at Roman's corniness. She was supposed to be semi-annoyed at him after all. But deep down, Alice was beginning to have more fun with Roman than she had with her actual friends. The short bastard was actually right.

( 💊💔💄 )

word count: 2113
notes: sorry for waiting a month to post this new chapter! i was a little stuck but now i'm ready to resume updates on this one again! also sorry this one is shorter than the other chapters, the next one will go back as usual!